This invention relates to a method of removing virus from white blood cells without causing concurrent damage to the red blood cells in admixture therewith.
In recent years, considerable effort has been undertaken by scientists and blood bank specialists to free the nation's blood supply from contamination by viruses, especially the hepatitis viruses. With the recent discovery and identification of the virus reported to cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), an additional contamination problem has appeared with respect to the blood supply. This contamination can arise through collection of blood from donors carrying the AIDS virus, also known as human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV).
While suggestions have been made for individuals to avoid the potential problem of blood contamination with the AIDS virus by making autologous blood donations, such approaches are not likely to be practical except for storing relatively small amounts of blood for scheduled operations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,165, a method is described for inactivating the AIDS virus in blood or a blood component by treatment with an effective amount of about 0.1 to 5% of phenol, formaldehyde or mixtures thereof and then washing the residual chemical agent from the treated blood or blood component. This method is especially adapted for treatment of the red blood cells. In instances where the red blood cells are not completely separated from the white blood cells, some residual virus may still be present in the latter cells.
Accordingly, a method for removing virus from white blood cells without causing concurrent damage to the red blood cells would have significant utility.